Get Better Together: Relationship Education For Military Couples

Launched by HENRY M. JACKSON FOUNDATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF MILITARY MEDICINE · Jul 24, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This study is looking at a program called Get Better Together, designed to help military couples work through everyday stresses and improve their relationship. The program aims to boost mental health and relationship skills while reducing issues like alcohol misuse, aggression, and risk of suicide. Couples who join will be randomly assigned to either attend a weekend retreat where they participate in the program or continue their usual routine and later get access to an online version of the program. Everyone will fill out surveys before the retreat and then at 2, 4, and 6 months afterward to see how the program affects them over time.

To join, couples need to be in a committed relationship for at least six months, with at least one partner currently serving in the military. Both partners must be 18 or older, and they should not have attended a similar relationship retreat or workshop before (couples therapy or pre-marital counseling is okay). Couples must be willing and able to attend the scheduled retreats, and active-duty service members of certain ranks will need their command’s approval to participate. This study is not yet recruiting, but it offers a chance for military couples to strengthen their bond while addressing important challenges together.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Couple is in a committed romantic relationship of at least six months
• • At least one partner is a military Service member on active duty
• • Both partners are age 18 or older
• • Couple has not previously attended a relationship enrichment retreat or workshop together (e.g., CREDO, Strong Bonds, BSRT). This does not include couples therapy or pre-marital counseling.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • One or both partners decline to provide informed consent
• • Required command endorsement for retreat attendance is not received (for Service members E-6 and below)
• • Couple is unable or unwilling to attend any of the scheduled retreats during the study period